Shampoo recipes

There is very little difference between shampoo and shower gel. If there is a difference, it is usually the case that shampoo contains substances that care for the hair or make it easy to comb (‘conditioners’) more often than shower gel. Making your own shampoo is quite easy. Although you cannot easily make a shampoo that is cheaper than the cheapest at the drugstore, you can make high-quality shampoo at an affordable price. Shampoo is invariably recommended in advertising by mentioning everything it contains: vitamins (with provitamin B5), herbs, plant extracts. In addition, the scent of the shower gel makes you irresistible. The shampoo nourishes your hair and dandruff and tangles are a thing of the past. In part, this is pure nonsense: you apply shampoo and shower gel, leave it on for a few minutes at most and rinse out again. Some ingredients are not so easy to rinse out, for example the conditioners, but very little of the herbal extracts remains behind. Shampoo and shower gel are primarily a cleaning agent. However simple it is to make shampoo or shower gel, everyone has their own wishes. See the following recipes as basic recipes. Small changes are usually possible without further ado. If you really want to know everything about making shampoo yourself, follow a course at De Hekserij.

Shampoo bar scented with patchouli and lavender

A simple, solid and long-smelling shampoo bar. Of course, you can use a different perfume or leave it out, but at least this one lasts.

Equipment

  • Water bath: low pan + heat source (cooker, hot plate or similar), in it:
    • Beaker 100 ml
    • Beaker 400 ml
  • Spatulas, spoons for scooping and stirring
  • Scales accurate to 0,1 grams
  • Dropper plastic 1 ml (2x)
  • Mould, e.g. a baking mould (use only for soap and cosmetics)

Ingredients

  • 50 grams Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI)
  • 5 grams Shea Butter
  • 30 grams of tap water
  • 7 drops EO Patchouli
  • 7 drops EO Lavandin Abrialis (org)

Procedure

Weigh the SCI in a 400 ml beaker and add the water. Heat the beaker in the water bath and stir until the SCI and water form a paste. Melt and stir the shea butter separately in the 100 ml beaker (also in the water bath) and add to the SCI paste. Stir firmly and keep stirring until everything is well mixed. Now also add the EO Patchouli and EO Lavandin Abrialis (org) with a pipette and stir well again. Put the whole mixture into the mould and press firmly so that all the corners are filled and there is no air left in it. Beware: hot!

When everything has cooled down, the shampoo bar is hard and, once removed from the mould, can be used immediately. If stored dry, it can usually be kept for up to a year, but throw it away at the slightest sign of decay.

Variants and additions

  • You can use a different plant butter such as cocoa butter or mango butter, or a mixture of butters.
  • If you use more butter, the cleansing effect decreases and the nourishing effect increases.
  • Of course, you can use a different perfume, but this one has been tested and is long-lasting.

Shampoo with conditioner

A recipe for a shampoo with conditioner, especially for hair that is drier or difficult to comb.

The conditioner used, Haarsoft Hx, leaves a greasy layer on the hair, making it less likely to dry out or break. In addition, it cleans, like any shampoo.

Supplies

  • 55 g water (boiled and cooled tap water)
  • 10 g Betaine (CAPB) Hx
  • 25 g Detergent (SLES) Hx
  • 4 g Hexaderm LSH
  • 2 g Haarsoft Hx
  • 15 drops (± 1 ml) Lactic acid 90%
  • 15 drops (± 0.8 ml) FO Carnation
  • 2 drops (± 0.1 ml) HexaCol orange
  • 15 drops (± 0.9 ml) HexaCon 91
  • Dropper pipette plastic 1 ml
  • Dropper pipette plastic 3 ml
  • Packaging, for example Bottle HENRI 100 ml with white flap cap

Procedure

You can mix in the bottle in which you store the shampoo.

Weigh Betaine (CAPB) hx, Detergent (SLES) Hx, Hexaderm LSH and Haarsoft Hx one after the other into the bottle. Then add the lactic acid, the FO Carnation, the HexaCol orange and the HexaCon 91. Finally, add the water to just below the neck of the bottle. Cap it well and shake it briefly.

The shampoo is immediately ready for use.

Tips

  • The shampoo with conditioner thickens a bit, but is it still too thin: add a few drops of lactic acid. Shake well.
  • If that doesn’t help: add a little regular table salt: shake well.
  • HexaCol can stain the skin, in clothes, on wood, plastic, wallpaper … so pay attention! Has there been a spill: clean it immediately.
  • Various of the raw materials are corrosive, irritating or harmful in concentrated form. An allergic reaction to the skin is also possible. Therefore, wear safety glasses and protective gloves. For more information, see the description of the different raw materials. The shampoo that is made can irritate or cause an allergic reaction just like any shampoo.
  • Prefer other colors or scents: all water-soluble HexaCol is suitable (so NOT the oil green) and many other of our fragrances, but not all.